Apparatus for sealing cartons



Jan. 22, 1963 GEFFROY APPARATUS FOR SEALING CARTONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 14, 1960 Q R 1! mm Rm Qm on mmwmvwvwm mm m? o J RN 4 49 A v av m U w m mi A Q X e. ti it MW fa. mQ Qmx QQQ s AW Q 0N om Attorney Jan. 22, 1963 G. GEFFROY 3,074,213

APPARATUS FOR SEALING CARTONS Filed Nov. 14, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 i L15 8O 82 8/ 703 o h j I a 0 iL 'J ll I! [I i Q Q Q B Q Q 66019655 62 A Home y Jan. 22, 1963 G. GEFFROY APPARATUS FOR SEALING CARTONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 I I 4064A I p, LZ/M H /07 I L //5 //O6 iii 2.3%512 1 JLJ I I l I! II :E i} /03 0'2 H 'voa II I IOO

660E665 GEFFRO Y A ttorn e 3 Jan. 22, 1963 G. GEFFROY 3,074,213

APPARATUS FOR SEALING CARTONS Filed NOV. 14, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 F/GS.

Inventor 650E655 GEFFRO Y A Home y rates 3,074,213 APPARATUS FSR dEALING CARTGNS Georges Gefiroy, Paris, France, assignor to Societe Qellophane investment Company, Limited (lies de la Manehe), a company of Alderney Filed Nov. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 68,955 Claims priority, appiication France Nov. 27, 1959 7 Elairns. (Qt. 53-433) This invention relates primarily to apparatus for applying adhesive tape and is more particularly concerned with applying a strip of pressure sensitive adhesive tape, with or without a rip cord or tear strip, to three sides of square or other rectangular boxes.

When using a tear strip, the invention provides for an end of the strip to be left projecting from one corner of the box. The apparatus is especially useful for closing on three sides boxes made of metal, cardboard or any other material and provided with a hinge leaving the fourth side free to receive a label.

he apparatus according to the present invention comprises a track alon which the boxes travel, means for supplying a succession of boxes to the track, means for intermittently feeding the boxes along the track while leaving a gap between successive boxes to provide a length of tape to be applied to two of the sides, means downstream of the box-supplying means for applying tape to one side of the boxes, a station further downstream provided with grippers for lightly gripping the length of tape bridging the gap between two successive boxes, means for cutting that length of tape between two gripping points and means for applying the projecting lengths of tape to a further side of each of the two boxes.

Preferably the grippers themselves provide the means for turning the free ends of the tape round the further sides of the boxes and for causing them to adhere thereto. For this purpose they may be pivotally mounted and means may be provided for giving them the appropriate motion. The grippers are preferably provided with perforated faces and means is provided for applying a vacuum to the back of the face plate so that the tape is gripped, on its non-adhesive side, by the face plate.

Means may be provided for applying a tear strip to the adhesive side of the adhesive tape before the latter is applied to the boxes. The cord or strip may be colored so that it is readily visible through the adhesive tape.

Where a tear strip is applied, the spacing is preferably slightly longer than that necessary for the two sides so that a piece of tape projects beyond one corner of the box. The cutter is disposed slightly off center with respect to the space between the boxes at the cutting station and is preferably provided with incisors to slit the small extra length of tape on each side of the tear strip. The pieces of tape thus slit away from the strip may be folded round the fourth side of the box without interfering with the hinge.

The intermittent feeding of the boxes along the track may be achieved by a series of dogs reciprocated lengthwise of the track so that in their forward movement they engage the boxes and are disengaged in the return movement. The dogs may be carried by a bar reciprocated horizontally on bearings capable of vertical reciprocation and brought to the disengagement position under the action of coiled springs and to the engaging position by cm-operated levers.

At the end of the track may be disposed a second track, transverse to the first, and means, such as push members, may be provided to transfer the boxes to this second track.

Preferably the various movements, reciprocation of the dogs and of their bearings, pivoting of the grippers, actu- Patented Jan. 22, 1953 ation of the cutter and actuation of the pusher members to transfer the boxes from the main track, are all operated through suitable link members by cams on a single shaft which may be belt-driven by a motor mounted on the frame of the machine.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional View of the machine taken on the line a-b of PEG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevation showing in detail the elements for folding the strip of adhesive tape against the two end faces of the box;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a detail of the right hand gripper of FIG. 3 as seen from the left;

FIG. 6 is a sectional View taken on the line cd of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the box after the positioning of the strip of adhesive tape and of the tear strip with the projecting end; and

HG. 8 is a plan view of the box after the application of the adhesive tape and the tear strip with a projecting end whereby it can be gripped.

As shown in the drawings, the boxes are laid flat in a magazine feed device 1. They are automatically taken one by one and are displaced successively into the positions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, b, 9, it}, ill, 12, 135 (see PEG. 2) by means of a reciprocating member consisting of a bar 17 sliding in bearings 18 and 19. Mounted on this bar 17 are driver dogs 2%, 2i and 22 which are adjusted so that the spacing of these dogs is equal to the length of the strip of adhesive tape which is to be applied to the three sides of the box. The horizontal reciprocating movement of the slidable bar 17 is effected by a link 26, con nected at one end to bar 17 and at the other end to lever 27 pivoted at its lower end to the frame of the machine and carrying a rod 23 connected to crank 29 fixed on the shaft 39, driven by motor 31 through reduction gear and driving belt 32. The escape movement of the dogs during the return movement is effected by the lowering of the bearings 18 and 19 which slide in cylinders 36 and 37 under the action of coiled springs 32% and 39. The bearings 18 and 19 and bar 17 are brought to the eugaging position by means of abutments 4i! and 41 fixed to levers 42 and 43 pivotally mounted on pins 44 and 45 and connected together by the rod 46. The lever 42 is extended to form arm 47 which carries at its end a cam follower 48 hearing against cam 4-9 fixed on the shaft 30.

As shown in FIG. 2, adhesive tape unwinds at 58 from a reel 56 mounted on a reel carrier 57 and passes over a guide roller 59. A tear strip unwinds at 62 from a reel of tear strip material mounted on a reel carrier 61 and passes over the guide roller 63 to stick to the adhesive surface of the tape on the roller 5%. The assembly 64 constituted by the strip of adhesive tape and the tear strip passes over the application roller 65 and continues as shown at 66, being thus applied to one side of each of the boxes.

The strip of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape on which the tear strip is applied is carried along by the boxes which are displaced between lateral guides 70, 71, 72 and horizontal slideways 73 and 7d constituting the track. Detachable rails 75 and 76 keep the boxes accurately in position on the horizontal slideways 73 and 74.

A cutting knife 89 with incisors $1 is mounted on an arm 82 fixed by a collar to sha t 86 which at one end carries a collar and arm 85, the latter being provided with a cam follower 34 hearing against cam 33 fixed on the shaft 3% behind cam 4?. The cutter 8i} severs the adhesive tape at 87 and slits one end of the tape at each side of the tear strip to form a free end.

Two elements 88 and 89, shown in detail in FIGS. 3, 4, S and 6, grip the adhesive tape after the desired length has been out off and, after rotation through 90 about the shafts 90 and 91, apply it to the sides of the boxes, the device 88 applying the adhesive tape to the box in position 3 and the device 89 to the box in position 4.

These elements comprise supports and 101, flap carriers 102 and 103 which are pivotable in the supports about pins 104 and 10S fixed to the flap carriers. Two flaps 106 and 107 slide in the flap carriers 102 and 103 during the rotation of the latter, controlled by studs 1% and 109 fixed to the flaps, which follow the slots 110 and 111 disposed concentrically with respect to the pins 104 and 105. These flaps support the ends of the pressuresensitive adhesive band by the non-adhesive outer surface by means of a series of holes 112 and 113 connected to a source of vacuum by tubes 114 and 115.

The sliding movement of the flaps during the rotation thereof is intended to tension the adhesive tape so as to apply it cleanly and without any folding, especially at the corners of the boxes.

The rotational movement of the flap carrier assemblies is efiected by pinions and 121 driven by chains 122 and 123 actuated by cam 124- through cam follower 125 on the lever arm 126 which is connected to the chains by rod 127 and rod 128 sliding in bearing 129. The cam 124 is again fixed on the shaft 30 and is masked by the cam 49.

The cut made at the point 87 is deliberately located eccentrically with respect to the boxes in positions 3 and 4, so that the device 89 folds over a length of tape equal to the length of the side of the box in position 4 whilst the device 88 folds over a length of adhesive tape slightly greater than the length of the side of the box in position 3. This end of the strip of tape comprises the incisions at each side of the tear strip. During the translational movement of the boxes between the positions 3"and '4, the said boxes pass under the roller which applies'the adhesive parts projecting at each side of the incisions at the end of the strip against the fourth side, thus leaving the end of the tear strip projecting so as to facilitate gripping the said'end.

When the boxes arrive at position 4 they push the preceding boxes successively into positions 5, 6 and 7 and are then deflected into a discharge channel to take up the positions 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 whence they pass between two pressure rollers 136 and 137 in order to complete the application and smoothing of the adhesive band on the sides of the box.

The boxes are deflected into this channel by two push leaving a gap between successive boxes to provide a length of tape to be applied to two of the sides, means downstream of the box-supplying means for applying a continuous tape to one side of said boxes, said continuous tape bridging said gap between successive boxes, a station further downstream having two gripping means each normally maintained in a plane substantially parallel to said track, means for moving each of said gripping means into gripping engagement at points spaced along the length of said tape bridging said gap, means for cutting that length of tape between two gripping points each of said gripping means being pivotally mounted and means for rotating eachof said gripping means about its pivotal mounting into a plane substantially transverse to said track to apply thereby the projecting lengths of tape to the adjacent sides of each'of the two boxes.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the feeding motion for the boxes, the gripping motion and the motion for the cutter are all operated by cams mounted on a single driven shaft.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the intermittent feeding means comprises a series of dogs and means for reciprocating the dogs so that on their forward movement they engage the boxes and are disengaged therefrom on their return movement.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, comprising cam operated means for raising the dogs to the engaging positionagainst the action of a spring loading to disengage them.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at the downstream end of the track there is provided a transverse track together with means for diverting the boxes thereto, and rollers disposed to engage the tape on opposite ends of said boxes as they advance along said transverse track.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said gripper means include perforated faces adapted to engage the non-adhesive side of the tape, vacuum means is provided to apply suction through said perforated faces.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising means for applying a tear strip to the adhesive side of the tape, means for slitting one of the projecting ends of tape on either side of the tear strip so as to provide a short length of tear strip to project beyond the side of the box, and means for rolling the end of the tape above and below the tear strip into adhesive engagement with the rearward corner of the box.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 730,410 Staude a June 9, 1903 1,978,035 'Ihom Oct. 23, 1934 2,649,221 Wagner et al. Aug. 18, 1953 2,760,414 Corncock et a1. Aug. 28, 1956 2,773,341 Gaubert Dec. 11, 1956 

1. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC APPLICATION OF PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE TAPE TO THREE SIDES OF RECTANGULAR BOXES, COMPRISING A TRACK ALONG WHICH THE BOXES TRAVEL, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING A SUCCESSION OF BOXES TO THE TRACK, MEANS FOR INTERMITTENTLY FEEDING THE BOXES ALONG THE TRACK WHILE LEAVING A GAP BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE BOXES TO PROVIDE A LENGTH OF TAPE TO BE APPLIED TO TWO OF THE SIDES, MEANS DOWNSTREAM OF THE BOX-SUPPLYING MEANS FOR APPLYING A CONTINUOUS TAPE TO ONE SIDE OF SAID BOXES, SAID CONTINUOUS TAPE BRIDGING SAID GAP BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE BOXES, A STATION FURTHER DOWNSTREAM HAVING TWO GRIPPING MEANS EACH NORMALLY MAINTAINED IN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID TRACK, MEANS FOR MOVING EACH OF SAID GRIPPING MEANS INTO GRIPPING ENGAGEMENT AT POINTS SPACED ALONG THE LENGTH OF SAID TAPE BRIDGING SAID GAP, MEANS FOR CUTTING THAT LENGTH OF TAPE BETWEEN TWO GRIPPING POINTS EACH OF SAID GRIPPING MEANS BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AND MEANS FOR ROTATING EACH OF SAID GRIPPING MEANS ABOUT ITS PIVOTAL MOUNTING INTO A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSVERSE TO SAID TRACK TO APPLY THEREBY THE PROJECTING LENGTHS OF TAPE TO THE ADJACENT SIDES OF EACH OF THE TWO BOXES. 